Obs. [f. L. excoct- ppl. stem of excoquĕre, f. ex- out + coqĕre to boil, melt.]
1. trans. To produce, extract or obtain (chiefly, a metal) by heat.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 509. There is a stone … out of which … (with burning) they excoct brasse.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 843. Salt and sugar, which are excocted by Heat, are dissolved by Cold, and Moisture.
1671. J. Webster, Metallogr., iii. 56. A new Iron is excocted forth of them.
1755. in Johnson.
b. To drive off by heat. In quot. fig.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 204/1. If [Becket] … through immoderat violence of zeale, did exceed … the same was excocted againe and purged by the fire of his suffring.
1651. H. More, in Enthus. Tri. (1656), 208. Put thy soul into a crysiple … and set it on that fire that will excoct and purge out thy drosse.
2. To drive off the moisture of; to elaborate, refine, mature, ripen.
1572. J. Jones, Bathes of Bath, II. 18 b. Arguinge an earthy dryenes, temperatly excocted, and not parched.
1576. Newton, trans. Lemnie’s Complex. (1633), 179. Their head … is not of ability to excoct the nutriment into the use and comlinesse of haires.
1710. T. Fuller, Pharm. Extemp., 182. The Saliva … so excocted and viscid as to bring hazard of Suffocation. Ibid., 297. Bile … too much excocted … makes wild Mischief.
